Classics Considered

In A Room of One's Own , Virginia Woolf takes us through a history of women in fiction, from the unknown poets of Elizabethan times to 18th and 19th-century writers like Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë.  This little book is not only for feminists, but for anyone interested in the life and classic writings of female authors. Apologies for the intermittent background noise, near the beginning of the episode.  It was probably me leaning on my "lectern" - i.e. a white cabinet on wheels, which may not be the most stable setup...  I'll be taking extra precautions in the future! Sources / Further Reading: "Virginia Woolf Was More Than Just a Women’s Writer" - Humanities magazine Virginia Woolf's suicide note (Wikisource) Napoleonic Code (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own has me currently entranced with its gentle, yet poignant questions about women's history - not just in fiction, but in culture and arts generally. According to a Washington Post quiz (which, given its loaded questions, ought to be taken with a pinch of salt), I come under the umbrella of "Yes, but..." feminists, meaning I identify as somewhat feminist but am also critical of feminism as it stands today.  Without getting deeply into the topic - I am trying, by a thread, to stay apolitical on this blog - I would say that's a fairly accurate summary of my outlook. My main concern for women's rights are those basic ones which are still lacking in other countries.  In Woolf's book, I am reminded that women in the West underwent similar struggles.  For example, as lately as 100 years ago, a choice of career was limited: ...I had made my living by cadging odd jobs from newspapers, by reporting a donkey show here or a we...

Hello again!  Hope anyone who is reading this is doing well and, if it's winter where you are, staying warm.  :)  I was off to a good reading start this year, but the last month has been nothing short of hectic.  My excuse this time is I've been mentoring young programmers on a local robotics team, gearing up for a big competition next month.  Between work during the day and robots in the evening, reading was pushed to the back burner.  However, the bulk of our programming is completed, and now we can kick back a little and I can (hopefully) find time to read again. I'm actually on track with Deal Me In; I've just not blogged regularly.  Here are the stories I've drawn for the last month or so (and yes, diamonds keep randomly showing up!). Q ♣ Circles This essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson is probably quintessential Transcendentalist reading.  In "Circles," Emerson encourages the reader to look at life in the form of circles - Venn diagrams, really....